Case Study: Family Leave and Unlawful Termination

Case Study: Family Leave and Unlawful Termination

When it comes to family and medical accommodations in the workplace, California laws tend to favor the employee. The employer must attempt to satisfy a request for medical leave, as well as any special accommodations for disabled workers.

More recently, employees who sue for denial of family medical leave are suing their employers at a much higher rate. In a national study conducted by the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California’s Hastings law school, the number of employees suing their employers for family leave discrimination at work has skyrocketed 590% over the last 10 years.

Such cases include pregnancy discrimination, paternity leave, medical leave, and finally, family responsibilities discrimination. The latter refers to employees who must leave work to care for a family member. Many employees are simply unaware of their rights in this area. If, for instance, an employee is being denied family leave due to eldercare, they may have a case against their employer.

According to the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California’s Hastings Law School, between 2006 and 2015, it is estimated that employers coughed up over $477 million in paid settlements to employees. This statistic should be particularly alarming to employers, as it seems many have not updated their policies in favor of their employees.

According to the WorkLife Law study, family and medical leave lawsuits over the last decade have resulted in a whopping 70% success rate for plaintiffs. What is most telling about this data is that you don’t have to be sick or on maternity or paternity leave in order to have a strong case against your employer.

In California, an employer’s denial of family leave at work is no joke. If you believe that you are a victim of discrimination at work, or if you are unsure if your situation applies, the legal team at Feldman Browne Olivares can help.

With a track record of winning large-figure settlements in unlawful termination cases including pregnancy discrimination cases, we’ll give you the best shot at attaining justice and finally having peace of mind. No employee with a medical circumstance or family leave obligation should be denied reasonable accommodation.

No matter how serious or minor your situation, our commitment is to ensure that your status as an employee is on a level playing field with the rest of your workplace. Please contact Feldman Browne Olivares today for a free case evaluation.